| 1940's |
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The Keokuk Airport was established and
KOKX radio went on the air in 1946. |
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With baby-boomers filling elementary schools, the new, current
Keokuk High School and community college
open in 1953. |
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The old lock built in 1913 became too small for newer, larger
barges and was replaced in 1957 with, by far, the largest
lock on the Mississippi. |
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| 1960's |
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The George M. Verity River Museum was donated to
the City of Keokuk in 1961 by the Armco Steel Corporation.
The boat was built in Dubuque, Iowa by the U.S. Government
in an effort to revive river transportation and move barges
from St Louis to St. Paul. The boat was then known as the
S.S. Thorpe. In 1940 Armco Steel Corporation bought the boat
and put it into service on the Ohio River. They renamed it
the George M. Verity after the founder of their company. The
museum is still open for tours today. |
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The new Keokuk Public Library opened in
1962, largely the gift of the Huiskamp family. |
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Fires and outright structural
collapses in Keokuk’s old downtown caused the
Chamber of Commerce to suggest urban renewal
that resulted in the building of Keosippi Mall in
1963. This photo is of the razing of homes on Morgan
Street. Many historic buildings had to be destroyed
in this era due to the eroding elements of time. |
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| 1980's |
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1981 saw the completion of Keokuk Area Hospital’s
new facility, and the beginning of Kindustry
Park. |
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The old double-decker bridge was replaced
in 1985 by a wider bridge that would not have to be opened
for river traffic to pass. The old bridge is still used for
railroad traffic. The upper part of the Keokuk side of the
bridge is now an observation deck overlooking the Mississippi
and lower side of the lock, dam and power plant. |
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Keokuk’s Sesquicentennial is celebrated in 1997
and the city works toward a prosperous tomorrow. |
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